Religion: For National Purposes

(See front cover)

George Washington, a good but not essentially religious man, considered the Church a desirable adjunct to the State. He planned for Washington "a church for national purposes." Not in his lifetime, nor in the succeeding century, was anything done about founding one. There existed in Washington no official church for state weddings or funerals or solemn thanksgiving or prayer in time of stress. The religion of the U. S. President was, and is, of no concern to the State: he could worship, get married,...